Work-ejecting mechanism for printing apparatus



May 3,

c. 5. TIEFEL WORK EJECTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CHARLES T/EFEL wn/ 4% W H23 ATTORNEY C. G. TIEFEL WORK EJECTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING APPARATUS May 3,1927. 1.626.649

Filed Dec. -1o. 192s 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented May 3, 1927.

- UNITED TATES,

1,626,649 PATENT orrica.

CHARLES G. TIEFEL; ornoonnsrna, new YORK, ASSIGNOR To THEY TODD'ICOMPANY,

me, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

, woRK E J'EcTlNG'MEdHANlsM FOR.PRINTIN,G APPARATUS,

Application filed December 10, 1923. Serial no. 679,619.

This inventi'on relates to printing apparatus and more particularly to the combination therewith of nechanlsm' for ejecting the work afterit has been printed, to'clear the apparatus for succeeding operations and, l f desired, for stacking or otherwise convenien-tly disposing of the printed work. v Qne object of the inventionisito provide printing apparatus for example of the variety adapted for;.printing monetary and other legends on checks, drafts and similar paper forms, with'a suitable work ejecting mechanism of simple and practical construction.

,A further object is to provide printing appas ratus of the abovecharacter with work 5 ."To these and other ends the invention resides incertaln improvements and combina tions of partsall as will .be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification. In the drawings: i Fig-1 is a plan view of the base portion 1 of printing apparatus having the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the apparat s with portions oftthe casing broken m ytodiscldse interior parts;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan'vi'e'w similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in different positions; I F i Fig. .4 is a transverse sectional elevation onthe lin'et l in Fig. 2 and I Fig. 5 is a fraginentaryview similar to Fig; 2 but showing the parts in a different position.

several views indicate the same parts;

The embodiment of the nvention herein Similar reference numerals throughout the;

. 3 disclosed byway of illustration represents 50 one of varlou's useful mod1ficat1ons and adaptations, the applicatior'i in the present instance being to whatxis termed a check writing apparattts,- of the class disclosed in Letters Patent No, 1,138,330 g rantedjointly' to L. M. Todd and myself, May 4, 1915. .As'

this machine is well known and in common use, a general description thereof sufficient for an understanding of the present invention isall that is required in the present connection. This printing apparatus, generally speaking, comprises a type carrier and platen havin'ga relative shitting movement to bring a plurality of separate type forms on the carrier to printing position opposite the platen and alternatingtherewith, a relative rotary printing movement toimpress the selected forms on the work and simultaneouslyfeed the latter, the words beingthus successively printed until the desired legend is complete, when the work is removed or ejected from the machine.

Referringimore particularly to the drawings, there is shown at 10, Fig. 1 a base portion for the machine having a top 11 forming a printing bed over which the work is moved and on which is carried an upper cas- ,ing portion 12 hinged as at 13, Fig. 3 or otherwise suitably secured-to the base. Slots 14, Figs. 2 and 4, formed between the casing and base permit of the insertion of the work between the printing members from one side of the machine and its ejection from the other side. Thus in Fig. 4, the work is inserted in the machine from a table 15 of any suitable construction at the right hand side and is removed .at the left hand side for suitable disposition, as for stacking on a tray indicated gen-erally at 16. The type carrier 17 is splined to slide longitudinally on a main shaft 18 journaled at its ends in the opposite end walls of the casing 12. The

-. type carrier is generally cylindrical in shape,

carrying on a portion of its surface a p1uralityof longitudinally spaced, circumferentially extending type forms 19 thus adapted to be individually brought by longitudinal adjustment of the carrier opposite a platen wheel 20 on the base of a size for cooperation with the individual forms. A portionof the type carriermay be provided with an ink containing pad 21 arranged for contact during rotation of the carrier with foneor more ink rolls 22 by means of which ink is applied to the type forms.

Thetype carrier is given the selective shifting movement longitudinally of 1 its shaft by means of a yoke 23, Figs; 3 and 4, the ends of which slide on the main shaft and'embrace the ends of the type carrier for sliding the latter, the yoke beingh'eld against rotation, however, by a suitable means. The yoke is shifted by means of a bracket 24.- fixed thereto and projecting through a slot in the top of the casing to support a manually operable control member or handle and also a pointer 26 1noving over a dial 2'? on the casing bearing represcntations of the different type forms.

Thus by manually moving handle 25 to locate pointer 26 in registry with a word on the dial, the carrier is shifted relatively to the platen to bring the corresponding type form opposite thereto in position for printing when the carrier is rotated. It is to be noted, Fig. 3, that one and preferably a terminal word of the dial is the word Eelease to which the pointer is moved when it is desired to release the work and eject the same from the machine as hereafter described.

The means for rotating the carrier to effect in'ipression of the work comprises, in the present instance, a gear 28, Fig. 2, fixed on the main shaft and meshing with a gear 29 fixed on a shaft 30 rotatably supported in a bearing 31 in the casing, as shown in Fig. l. Fixed on the outer end of this shaft is a crank 32 carrying a handle 33 each rotation of which elfects a complete rotation of the type carrier and the printing of a selected type form.

The platen wheel 20 for pressing the work from below into contact with the type forms is located below an opening 3% in the printing bed Fig. l. The platen thus normally lies below the printing bed and is antomatically moved upward through the opening for cooperation with the individual type forms by means comprising a yoke 85 between the arms of which the platen. wheel is rotatably mounted. The yoke is tired on a rock shaft 36 supported in bearings on the base under the work bed, the shaft having fixed thereon at one end an upwardly projecting arm 37 the end of which bears against a cam 38 fixed on and rotated by the main shaft and of such shape that, at the proper time during the rotation of the latter, shaft 36 is rocked to raise and lower the platen for cooperation with the selected type form as the latter is rotated thereby. It is apparent from the above description that after handle 25 has been moved to select each type form, crank handle 33 is given a rotation to rotate the carrier and raise the platen to print the selected form on the work and simultaneously feed the same a distance approximately equal to its length. The next desired type form is similarly selected and printed and so on until the desired legend is completed.

It is desirable although not essential, to provide the machine with means for engaging and holding the work againstinadvertent movement and for guiding the same fixed on a rock shaft 42 mounted in suitable bearin s as at 4C3 on a side of the base below the work bed. Spring means (not shown) normally turn the shaft to raise the rollers against a guard plate 43 supported on the casing.

The forward end of the shaft is turned substantially at right angles horizontally as at 44; and the end of this angular portion adjacent the center of the machine is turned upwardly as at 4-5 through an opening 4-6 in the work bed. The upper end of this portion 45 is beveled as at 4-7 for engagement by one of the arms 48 of yoke when pointer 26 is moved to the release position of the dial. Such engagement by the yoke rocks shaft 42 and thereby depresses rollers 39 so that they clear and free the work for removal from the machine.

The ejecting mechanism is embodied in the present instance in combination with a printing apparatus of the above character and comprises, generally speaking, a reciprocating part guided to engage the work from below, in one direction of reciprocation, to eject the same from the machine, and to move idly in the opposite direction. The active movement of this part is accomplished by a spring means while its idle movement, which also tensions the spring means is effected by an actuating connec' tion with the machine during a printing operation thereof. Thus as the first word of a legend is printed, the ejecting mechanism is tensioned and set and is then automatically released by suitable actuating connections, whenever handle 25 is moved to the release position, the ejecting mechanism being thus operated automatically without attention on the part of the operator in the normal use of the machine.

The work engaging ejector part comprises a part or shoe 49 of any suitable material, such as soft rubber, mounted on a resilient arm 50 of a carriage 51, reciprocating below the work bed. Part 4-9 is disposed as shown beneath a transversely extending portion 52 of the opening 34 in the work bed. Carriage 51 is provided with spaced lugs 53 formed with bearing openings for a spindle 54 on which the carriage is supported and guided for rectilinear movement transversely of the machine. The carriage has an opposite arm 55 the outer end of which is beveled on opposite sides as at 56 for cooperation with a guide plate 57 the forward corners of which are beveled on the lower side as at 58 and on the upper side as at 59, respectively. These parts are adapted therefore during the active stroke of the ejector part 1-9 to cause the end of arm 55 to ride under guide plate .57 and thereby elevate the ejector gaged on opposite "side'sby the bifurcated end 61 of a: lever62 pivoted at 63 on the Work bed. The lever has an upwardly ex I tending portion 64 rising through an opening inth'e work bed so that it is disposed at its pivoted end above the latter. This portion of the lever carriesan upright lug 65 acting as a follower for a. cam 66 fixed on the -main shaft 18. A; motive means or spring 67 securedto the lever and the base" tends to move the-lever in a wo'rk ejectingd-irection and also to hold follower 65 in Contact with its cam; Whenever the main shaft is given a printing rotation, however,

the lever is cammed in an idle direction and 7 the spring .t ens1'oned" until the lever reaches the position'shownin Fig. 3. In this position, an opening 68 in the lever comes into registry witha spur 69 carried on the upper side of a leaf spring retainer 70 fixed at one end 71 on the base. Spur 69 is preferably beveled at its edges so that it is automatically depressed by lever 62 until it engages in opening 68 of the latter and thus retains the lever energized or set to position for an active stroke.

Means are provided for automatically releasing or tripping the retainer 70 whenever handle 25 ismoved to release position comprising preferably a stud 72 car-- ried by the retainer 70 below the transversely extending portion 44 ofthe shaft 42 of the work holding and guiding means. Upon movement of controlling member 25 to release position, portion 44 of shaft 42 is swung downwardly as described above and engages and depresses the retainer 70 thereby freeing its, spur 69 from lever 62 and releasing or tripping the latter for an active work projecting stroke under the actuation of its spring 67. Such rocking of the shaft 42 at the same time depresses the work holding and guide rollers 39 as already described so that the Work is released from all restraint at the beginning of the active stroke of the ejecting mechanism.

The invention thus, provides a practical mechanism comprising but few parts which are energized automatically by the printing movement and automatically released or tripped in the normal manipulationof the apparatus upon completion of the legend.

The ejecting action is therefore independent of the attention of the operator and the work is engaged by a suitable part positively guided for movement into and out of engagement with the work at the proper time and also for rectilinear movement in the desired direction for disposing the work accurately in a stack on a receiving bedor table. WVhile' the present embodiment of this ejecting mechanism is one. which has been found practical and efficient in use it is to be understood that 1t is capable of various modifications within the scope of the appended claims and also of applicationto variousother varieties of printing apparatus.

I claim as my invention: 1. Th'ecombmationwith a, printing apparatus comprising driving means'ther'efor and manually operable control means for controlling the printed work, of work ejecting mechanism comprising an actuating connection with said driving means and also a connection with said control means for releasing said mechanism in apre'determined position of said 'control'means.

2. The combination with a printing apparatus comprising means. for driving the same and a manually operable member movable selectively to a pluralityof positions for I controlling'the operation of said apparatus, ofwork ejecting mechanism comprising an actuating connection with said driving means, and a connection with said member in one position of the latter for bringing said ejectingmechanism into operation when said member is moved to said position.

. 3. The combination of a printing apparatus, means for driving the same, work ejecting mechanism comprising motive means therefor, an actuating connection with said driving means for energizing said motive means, a retainer for maintainin said motive means energized, and a manually operated device for effecting releasing actuation of said retainer to effect operation of said ejecting mechanism.

'4. The combination with a printing apparatus comprising means for driving the same and a manually operable member movable selectively to a plurality of positions for controlling the operation of said apparatus, or work ejecting mechanism comprising spring motive means therefor, an actuating connection with said driving means for tensioning said spring means, a retainer for holding said spring means under tension, and a connection with said member in one position of the latter for effecting releasing actuation of said retainer to effect operation of said ejectingmeans when said member is moved to said position.

5. The combination with a printing apparatus comprising means for driving the same and a manually operable member mov- I lit) tion, spring means for efiecting said actuating movement of said part, a connection with said driving means fo moving said part in said idle direction and tensioning said spring means, a retainer for holding said part with said spring under tension, and a connection with said member in one position of the latter for actuating said retainer to release said part and ejectthe work.

6. The combination with a printing apparatus comprising a type carrier and platen having a relative printing movement and alternately therewith a relative type selecting movement, driving means for effecting said printing movement and control means for effecting said selective movement, of workejecting mechanism comprising a reciprocating work engaging part provided with means guiding the same for ejecting engagelnent with the work in one direction and for idle movement in the other direction, a pivoted lever for reciprocating saitl. part, spring means for moving said lever in one direction, an actuating connection between said driving means and lever for moving the latter in the other direction to tension said spring means, latch means torholding said lever with said spring means under tension and a device actuated by said control means for tripping said latch means.

7. The combination with a printing apparatus comprising driving means therefor, work engaging and guiding means and a member movable selectively to a plurality of positions for controlling said apparatus and in one of said positions for disengaging said guide means from the work, of work ejecting means comprising a reciprocating part provided with means guiding the same -t'or ejecting engagement with the/work in one direction and for idle movement in the other direction, spring means for moving said mechanism in one direction, a connection with said driving means for tensioning said spring means, a retainer for holding said mechanism with said spring under ten sion, and a device actuated by movement of said controlling member to said guide disengaging position for actuating said retainer to release said mechanism to eject the work.

CHARLES Gr. TIEFEL. 

